SCARBOROUGH – Michael Lane Cohen passed bravely and peacefully away on March 17, 2022 at the Gosnell House in Scarborough surrounded with so much love by his devoted wife, Hedy (Shechman), and adoring children, Elliot and Natalie.

Born in 1949 to parents Elenore (Fogel) and Sheldon Cohen in Lewiston, Michael attended Edward Little in Auburn where he played football and ran track. In 1972, after graduating from Syracuse University, Michael joined his father’s company, Lewiston Shoe Machinery, where he enjoyed a successful 50-year career first refurbishing and shipping shoe machinery worldwide, then shifting the business to focus solely on buying and selling spare parts.

Nothing was more important to Michael than his family; he was a loyal and selfless husband who often declared that his ‘greatest decision in life’ was marrying his wife, Hedy, almost 38 years ago. While he was a successful business owner, Michael’s favorite job was always ‘Dad.’ He was an incredible father; the kind that all the children wished was theirs. He could often be found offering shoulder rides in the pool, inciting a neighborhood game of trackball, refereeing relay races, or carting around a carload of tweens to play mini golf.

Michael loved watching his son play football and played a pivotal role in helping the Cape Elizabeth football program to get off the ground and become the team that it is today. For over 10 years, he was the “Voice” of the Capers, announcing at all their home games. During Michael’s last year of life, he experienced great joy and comfort in watching – and sharing – his son’s football highlight tape. He could often be heard stating that, “Elliot is one of the best running backs to come out of the state of Maine.”

Michael was a refreshingly simple man and enjoyed life’s uncomplicated joys like sitting out on the back porch with a crossword puzzle, making his wife laugh, putting on pajamas after a long day, Boston sports – especially the Patriots, fried clams, traveling around the world (including favorites, Alaska, Panama Canal, St. Andrews for the British Open, and Italy), and of course, any kind of pastry he could get his hands on.

He was also a big track and field fan; he knew all the best high school and college athletes from across the country, went to the Milrose Track meet for over 25 years at Madison Square Garden, and attended the Track and Field Olympic trials for many years in Eugene, Ore.

While Michael was not a religious man, he did look forward to davening the Haftorah each year on Yom Kippur at local temples, Beth Abraham in Auburn and Temple Beth El, Etz Chaim, and the Chabad House of Maine in Portland. He was so good in fact, that he often had members of the congregation come up to him and question if he had studied with the Jewish scholars in Brooklyn.

Michael’s generosity, thoughtfulness, selflessness, and loyalty helped him accrue the support of an incredible pack of friends who he wanted to thank dearly for all their visits, phone calls, and food deliveries during his final years.

Michael leaves his wife Hedy; son Elliot, daughter Natalie; sister Cathy Rosenhaus (Detroit), and brother Peter (Miami).

The family would also like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff at both the Hospice of Southern Maine and the Gosnell House for their limitless compassion.

A graveside memorial service will take place at Temple Beth El Memorial Park in Portland on March 18, 2022 at 4 p.m. Shiva will be observed Sunday at the Cohen home from 1-4 p.m. with a service at 3:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers,

send donations to:

Chabad House of Maine or:

Hospice of Southern Maine

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